News

Mix: iOS v. Android, Sony Tablets, PlayStation breach, Priceline

By Charles Starrett ● Wednesday, April 27, 2011

iOS continues to lead in platform interest among mobile developers, according to the latest data from Appcelerator/IDC. The Appcelerator-IDC Q2 2011 Mobile Developer Survey Report, taken April 11-13 among 2,760 developers, shows that 91 percent of developers say they are “very interested” in iPhone development, while 86 percent are similarly interested in developing for the iPad. These numbers compare favorably to the 85 percent interest in Android phones and 71 percent in Android tablets, both of which fell from the previous survey primarily due to concerns over device fragmentation. [via MDN]

Sony has announced that it plans to release two tablet devices based on Android 3.0 Honeycomb with which it plans to compete with the iPad, reports Reuters. The two tablets, codenamed the S1 and S2, offer a 9.4-inch screen and curved design or dual 5.5-inch displays in clamshell design, respectively, and will feature Wi-Fi and 3G/4G connectivity, as well as support for Sony’ PlaystationSuite Android gaming service. Pricing and release information was not revealed.

Sony has started sending out emails to customers of its PlayStation Network and Qriocity services, admitting that a recent, extended service outage was due to a catastrophic data breach that left users’ personal information exposed. “We have discovered that between April 17 and April 19, 2011, certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user account information was compromised in connection with an illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network,” the company said. It continued, stating that breach included “name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID” information, and that “while there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility.” The service remains down as of this post.

Walker Digital, founder of the travel site Priceline.com, has filed a second lawsuit against Apple and other companies, alleging patent infringement related to a system that provides supplemental information for video programs. According to AppleInsider, Apple was included in the suit not due to its own applications, but for making available on the App Store allegedly infringing apps from other named companies like The Walt Disney Company, The Weather Channel, The Nielsen Company, Digimarc Corporation, and TV Aura Mobile. Walker Digital’s first suits named Apple along with more than 100 other major technology companies, claiming patent infringement related to technologies it claims to have invented in the 1990s.